GRAND RAPIDS — Ice accumulation is a main concern through this system as we work through the wintry mix, but how do we come to get numerous different types of precipitation? Meteorologist Candace Monacelli breaks down how things work in the atmosphere.
Everything starts high up in the atmosphere in the clouds typically as ice crystals as temperatures are colder in the clouds than typically at the surface. When these ice crystals fall they go through different temperature layers of the atmosphere giving us our different types of precipitation. Rain goes through only all warm layers while freezing rain is similar but right before it reaches the ground it goes through a thin layer of temperatures below freezing creating ice at the surface. Sleet comes from the ice crystals melting in a thin warmer layer of above freezing temperatures before working back through colder air and refreezing before reaching the surface while snow goes through only all cold layers. This helps us understand all the different precipitation types we will see across West Michigan during this system.
Since ice accumulations are the biggest concern in this system we need to focus on the impacts of ice based on how much we could see accumulate. Starting with a quarter inch of ice is when travel starts to become difficult and power outages are possible as ice coavers roads, cars and tree branches. A half an inch of ice doesn't sound like a lot but it can cover roads and cars leading even to tree damage causing possible power outages for days. Finally .75 of an inch of ice will be a thick covering making impassible roads and power outages for days. All these factors are the reason any ice accumulations is a concern.
